Is the Time Right for the ‘Right to Dry’ Bill?

By Patrick Ball

Washed out on more than one occasion, Peggy Brace’s dream of widespread clothes-drying freedom has been rekindled, and this time with backing from state Sen. Mike Barrett. 

According to a report on Boston.com, Barrett, a Lexington Democrat, has testified in favor of and sponsored a bill defending the right to use outdoor clotheslines for drying laundry.

“Using old fashioned clotheslines in place of automatic dryers is a beautifully low-tech way to cut energy use, reduce pollution and save on energy bills," Barrett said in a statement, according to the Globe. “The final bill will make the clothesline right subject to discussion and local approval, and will authorize local action to accommodate the time, place and manner of clothesline use.”

The bill was reportedly filed on behalf of Peggy Brace, a Concord woman who has been down this road before. 

Back in 2010, Brace led a local “Right to Dry” bylaw to approval at Concord’s annual Town Meeting. The clothesline crusade then spun out before the Attorney General’s Office, where the AG ruled the bylaw ran afoul of state law governing civil contracts.

On the heels of the AG’s ruling, Brace’s “Right to Dry” idea began gaining support from state lawmakers.

First came state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton. Then, in 2011,state Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, and Brace went before House members to drum up support for the “Right to Dry” bill, which made the case that residents have fundamental permission to hang clothes out to dry.

“When I testified with Peggy Brace, we said that the right to dry is as old as mankind itself,” said Atkins at the time. “Peggy gave some of the same testimony that she gave at town meeting, which I found very effective.”

Now it’s Barrett, of Lexington, who has joined Brace in her fight for the right to air dry.

Read more about Barrett's support for "Right to Dry" in his blog post on Patch. 

Whereas opposition has argued outdoor clotheslines are eyesores and could cause problems in shared spaces such as apartment or condo complexes, Barrett said condo owners’ objections and concerns about scenery can be addressed in local bylaws, the Globe reported.

So what do you think? Should Massachusetts residents be free to dry their laundry on outdoor clotheslines – no matter where they live? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.